A Great Fleet of Ships: The Canadian Forts & ParksWhile the extent of Canada's war production effort, 1939-1945, is fairly well known to Canadians, one aspect of it has largely escaped notice. This is the construction in Canadian shipyards, from a standing start in 1941, of 402 merchant ships, most of them 10,000-ton cargo ships. On a comparative scale, it was a feat rivaling that of the United States. This book describes the technical factors involved in the design of these ships, their construction and operation. A Great Fleet of Ships explains how and why this potential merchant fleet existing at the war's end was so quickly dispersed, with Canada's merchant marine all but vanishing after 1950. Heal discusses the reasons and methods of its disposal, and also provides an insightful look at the complex subjects of marine underwriting and chartering. These are aspects of merchant shipping seldom discussed in this light. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
aboard American BC Nominated BDD North BDD/VDD Vancouver became Britain British Builder & Yard built Burrard Dry Dock Canadian Captain cargo coal Completion date convoy crew damage deck diesel East engine explosion fire Fort Boise Fort Carlton Fort St French Furness Withy Green Hill Park Halifax hull Indians Island Lake Launched Liberty ship lifeboats Line Ltd liner loading London loss Maintenance ship marine Maritime merchant ships miles Montreal Nominated manager North Sands ships NS Nominated NVSR North Ocean operated Overseas Freighters owners Park ships Park Steamship Company Point Pleasant Park port Returned to USMC River Royal Navy Saskatchewan Scrapped ship's shipowners shipyard South Steamship Steamships Ltd submarine tanker Tonnage torpedo trade tramp Transferred to MOWT USY Montreal Vancouver Maritime Museum Vessel Name Victory ships Victory type voyage wartime WCSB WCSB Vancouver Yard location